To keep your car safe on the road, the general advice to vehicle owners is to get your car serviced every year or every 12,000 miles – whichever comes first.

As well as preventing breakdowns and improving safety, fuel economy and your vehicle’s life expectancy, regular servicing can also increase the value of your car when you come to sell it.

Buyers are often willing to pay a higher price when they see a fully stamped service book.

But if you are covering a lot of miles, then getting a full service every time your clock hits a multiple of 12,000 can be a real drag. And it isn’t always necessary.

If you drive long miles for work and cover more than 20,000 each year, then you might only need an interim service.

As well as how you use your car, the frequency with which you service the car can also depend on recommended mileage in the service handbook and the age of the car.

What is an interim service?

An interim service covers all the major fluids – including brake fluid, screen wash and coolant, as well as major components and components that wear out quickly, like the engine, plugs, filters, battery, lights and tyres.

Browse a full list of what’s typically included in a service here:

At Duffy Motors, we offer different services based on what a client’s car needs. We can either organise an annual servicing schedule or offer basic interim health checks to keep cars in top fighting condition.

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The franchised dealer service myth that could cost you £1,000s

Analysis from What Car reveals that almost 90% of motorists get their car serviced at a franchised dealer in the first year of owning the car, despite franchised dealers being more expensive.

As cars get older, more and more people switch to independent garages. By the time a car is seven years old, almost half of owners get their cars serviced outside a franchised dealership.

Who Can Fix My Car found that independent garages were, on average, 18% cheaper than franchised dealerships. This is particularly true if a service or MOT reveals that more specialist work needs to be carried out.

So why do people still go to franchised dealers?

One common perception persists about new car servicing. Many people think that you can’t take a new car to an independent garage without being penalised by the manufacturer.

This isn’t true. EU competition laws introduced in 2003 stopped car manufacturers from forcing owners to use their franchised dealers for servicing and repair work.

Dealers that warn buyers that their warranty will be void if they use another garage are incorrect and could be acting illegally.

If your vehicle is under warranty (new warranties usually last for three years) then it can still be serviced at an independent garage like Duffy Motors, without invalidating the conditions of the dealership warranty.

As long as the service is carried out to the manufacturers specifications, using approved parts and techniques, then the vehicle’s warranty will remain valid.

Are you looking to have you car serviced by a dependable team? Contact us to arrange an inspection.

In the meantime, please check out all our positive feedback on the Good Garage Scheme. 

British drivers love German cars. The UK is the largest EU sales market for German suppliers and Britain is the biggest destination for German car parts.

Although they tend to hold their value compared with cars from other countries, German cars are usually a little more expensive to buy. But what about the running and maintenance costs?

Duffy Motor’s Lee Atkinson believes that times are changing for German motors.

“People used to say, ‘don’t buy a German car – it’s too expensive to run’ but that attitude is changing,” he said.

He continued: “Car manufacturers are so globalised now that prices for serviceable and non-serviceable parts have come down. Non-serviceable items on German cars are probably cheaper than parts for Japanese vehicles, because it can be difficult to get hold of the Japanese items.”

Higher end German cars such as those manufactured by Porsche and, to a lesser extent, Audi, BMW and Mercedes tend to be more expensive than middle of the road vehicles like Volkswagens – which Lee suggests are comparable to Fords and Vauxhalls in terms of maintenance and repair costs.

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Getting your car serviced or repaired at a main or franchised dealer tends to be more expensive than visiting an independent garage. This is particularly true for higher end German cars.

There are always many variables with these costs, but a study from Who Can Fix My Car found that independent garages were, on average, 18% cheaper than main dealers.

For relatively simple work, such as MOT and servicing work, independent garages are only slightly cheaper. But for more complex ‘off-the-menu’ work, where more intensive labour is required, it is often significantly cheaper to go with an independent fixer.

Another study from What Car found that German manufacturer franchised fixers were among the worst value for drivers. The 2017 Servicing Satisfaction Survey found that Porsche and Audi drivers were among the least happy with the service from franchised dealerships. Cost was a major factor.

BMW and Mercedes were middle of the road in this regard.

Tips for bringing down maintenance costs

Here are Lee’s top tips for bringing down maintenance costs. These apply to all cars, not just German brands.

• Get your car serviced regularly. A low-cost service each year can identify problems and help you avoid an expensive repair job.
• Avoid cowboys. These can be difficult to spot but you can usually find a good mechanic by reading online reviews, such as those published by the Good Garage Scheme.
• Don’t go for the cheapest price, because you will get the cheapest work.
• Change your oil regularly and make sure you only use oil that’s recommended for your car.
• Check your tyre pressure regularly. Incorrect tyre pressure can cause your tyres to wear very quickly.

Research has found that independent garages are, on average, 18% cheaper than main franchised dealers.

Analysis by Who Can Fix My Car found that the main dealers, which are popular amongst new car owners are significantly more expensive for certain types of work.

Separate analysis carried out by consumer magazines Which? and What Car found that independent garages, like Duffy Motors, also enjoy higher customer satisfaction ratings than franchised dealers.

Their research also shows that new car owners are more likely to use franchised dealers, suggesting they may be unaware that they can use independent garages without affecting their vehicle’s warranty.

Cheaper and more convenient

On average, work carried out by independent garages was 18% cheaper than work carried out by main dealers in Who Can Fix My Car’s analysis. But their results also showed up large price differentials between the kinds of work carried out.

For relatively simple work, such as MOT and servicing work, independent garages are only slightly cheaper. But for more complex ‘off-the-menu’ work, where more intensive labour is required, it is often significantly cheaper to go with an independent fixer.

Car owners who needed brakes and exhaust work were quoted £221 by franchised dealers compared with £156 at a local independent.

Essential repairs like a cam belt change were also more expensive (£372) at main dealers compared with independents (£227).

Over many years of serving the Manchester community, customers have regularly told us in online reviews and in person that we are cheaper than the franchised dealers.

But we also think that we are more convenient.

Right slap bang in the middle of the City Centre (just off Deansgate by the Hilton), our garage is perfect for people who live or work in Manchester.

Customers routinely drop their cars off in the morning, go to work or into town and collect their motor at a time that suits them.

Convenience was also highlighted by What Car as a reason why many people choose independents over franchised dealers.

They say that there are usually few franchised dealers and their sparkly premises can be tricky to get to.

In their 2017 Servicing Satisfaction Survey, What Car found that the overall satisfaction rating for non-franchised servicing is 6% higher than franchised fixers.

They also found that Porsche, Alfa Romeo and Audi drivers were far happier getting their cars serviced independently compared with using franchised dealerships.

Consumer group Which? found similar results.

The franchised dealership myth that could be costing you £1,000s

According to What Car, almost 90% of motorists get their car serviced at a franchised dealership in the first year, with more and more switching to independents as the cars get older.

By the time cars reach seven years old, they claim, nearly half are serviced outside of franchised dealerships.

The motorists who use franchised dealers are likely to be paying more than if they went to an independent garage. So why do they do it?

It may be that they are falling for a common myth about servicing on new vehicles.

Even if your vehicle is still within the dealership warranty, you can still take it to an independent garage without being penalised by the manufacturer.

This is because new EU competition laws introduced in 2003 have stopped car manufacturers from forcing owners to use their franchised dealers for servicing and repair work.

Dealers who warn buyers that their warranty will be void if they use another garage are incorrect, and could be acting illegally.

If your vehicle is under warranty (new warranties usually last for three years) then it can still be serviced at an independent garage like Duffy Motors, without invalidating the conditions of the dealership warranty.

As long as the service is carried out to the manufacturers specifications, using approved parts and techniques, then the vehicle’s warranty will remain valid.

Duffy Motors works within all the main manufacturer service specifications. And we have never had any issues with manufacturers refusing to honour the warranty on a vehicle after we have worked on it.

Book your car into our shop today. Call: 0161 834 4168.

A new survey ranking the UK’s motorway service stations shows that some of the best and worst rest stops are on major road links in and out of Manchester.

Independent transport watchdog Transport Focus surveyed 8,700 visitors at all 112 service stations asking customers to rate the toilets, staff friendliness, food prices and more.

Overall, 90% of drivers said that they were satisfied with their visit, but there were large disparities across the country.

One of the closest service stations to Manchester City Centre scored a 100% satisfaction rating. Rivington Services Northbound, on the M61 near Bolton, ranked second overall, beaten to the post by Reading Services Westbound.

Drivers who are heading south on the M6 may consider stopping at nearby Knutsford Services, which ranks 6^th overall in the service station rankings.

If you are travelling from Manchester to London via the M6 and the M1 then you could split the drive with a stop at third place Corley Services, which is almost halfway between the two cities.

Norton Canes Services on the M6 Toll also ranks highly in 7^th position, but drivers are advised to avoid the nearby Stafford Southbound Services which was only beaten to the bottom of the rankings by Heston Services on the M4.

Top spots for a rest break

1. Reading Services Westbound
2. Rivington Services Northbound
3. Corley Services Northbound
4. Gloucester Services Southbound
5. Gloucester Services Northbound

Worst of the bunch

108. Toddington Services Southbound
109. Rownhams Services Northbound
110. Rownhams Services Southbound
111. Stafford Services Southbound
112. Heston Services Eastbound

How we use service stations

The survey also gave some interesting information about how we use motorway service stations and what business and leisure users think about them.

The survey found that service station users were typically on a journey of three and a half hours, with business and leisure users tending to take a break after being on the road for an hour and a half. Leisure users typically stopped for 20 minutes while business users stopped for15 minutes.

Only 42% of visitors planned to stop at a particular service station, three quarters (77%) used the toilets and half (50%) bought food or drink to eat in the motorway service station.

Contrary to much perceived wisdom about motorway service stations, 64% of service station visitors said that they though food and drink at their service stations was good value for money.

A report from insurance provider Admiral released earlier in the year, found that users in some parts of the country could pay four times more for a ham sandwich in a service station than a local supermarket.

Mood boost

Driving while tired, stressed or otherwise unhappy can be dangerous, particularly on long journeys.

The survey also asked drivers about their mood before and after using the facilities at the service station. They found that visiting a motorway services typically resulted in a 20 percentage point boost in positive emotions and a 17% decrease in negative emotions.

A quarter (25%) of people reported feeling tired, frustrated or stressed when they arrived at the service station, but only 9% reported these feelings when leaving. This highlights the beneficial impact motorway services can have on driving standards and safety on the roads.

Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of Transport Focus said: “Our research shows that up and down the country motorway services are providing customers with a good experience and are playing a positive role in helping them rest and recharge before continuing to drive. They tell us they feel less stressed and are more awake after a good break.

“Motorway service operators must not rest on their laurels however; our message is clear – use the results to deliver even higher levels of customer satisfaction in future.”

Transport Minister John Hayes said: “Motorways services can and should be lovely places for drivers to enjoy not just places they have to stop.

“Congratulations to those scoring the most highly. They show what can be done when what motorists want and deserve drives what is on offer.

“But users’ needs and expectations are constantly evolving. Now I want to go much further to raise and meet those expectations. My new taskforce will bring together industry and independent experts to look at how services can be fit for future motorists and reflect the particularity of localities which host these important facilities. Thoughtful design and a range of goods and services can make all motorway services as good as the best.”

It was announced last month that petrol and diesel cars will soon be a thing of the past, with the sale of new fuel powered cars banned from 2040.

At Duffy Motors, we have already started training our staff in how to fix electric vehicles and hope to become Manchester’s repair destination for all electric car drivers. But while petrol and electric vehicles are still with us we want to make sure that all our customers make the most of them.

The RAC claim that boy racers could achieve savings of up to 30% if they used petrol and diesel more efficiently. But even careful drivers could save about £500 each year if they spend £50 per week on fuel.

Here are some top tips for cutting petrol or diesel consumption.

Keep your car properly serviced

A well-maintained car, that is serviced each year, is up to 10% more efficient than one that has been allowed to fester in its old oil.

It’s also less likely to break down, saving you on you on MOT and repair costs.

Avoid rush hour

You might hate traffic jams even more if you knew how much it was costing you in extra fuel. When your car is in first or second gear it is gobbling up fuel, so if you barely get above 20mph before you need to brake again, then you know you are using fuel inefficiently.

Avoid rush hour if you can or think about getting a hybrid car, which is much more efficient around town centres.

Shut your windows

Anything that makes that windy ‘wooshing’ sound when you are driving is not very good for your fuel consumption. Extra drag caused by open windows or sunroof means your car has to work harder to achieve the same speed.

Opening your window at lower speeds won’t have as much impact on your car’s aerodynamics so is preferable to using the air con if you need to cool down.

Switch off the air con

Newer cars perform slightly better, but generally speaking, air conditioning uses an incredible amount of fuel so make sure you only use it when you absolutely need to.

Winding down your windows is preferable at lower speeds, but if you are on the motorway then the air conditioning will only increase your fuel consumption by a few percentage points.

Remove the roof rack

Roof boxes, cycle racks, and anything else that adds extra weight and wind resistance to your car is subtracting from your fuel efficiency.

The RAC estimates that a roof rack can impact on your fuel consumption by as much as 10% while a big roof box can be like having a second car strapped to your roof.

Take out extra weight

You wouldn’t carry a heavy rucksack around town if you didn’t need to, so don’t make your car carry all that extra weight when you aren’t going to use it.

It may seem practical to use your car boot as a hoarders hideaway, but all the extra weight will hit your wallet.

Drive at a constant speed

Driving at a constant speed, in the highest gear you can, is the best way to bring down your bills. Make sure you accelerate and decelerate smoothly and shift up the gears as soon as you can without labouring the engine.

Make sure you drive patiently and don’t bother with speedy overtaking manoeuvres.

Slow down

As well as driving at a constant speed and accelerating and decelerating smoothly, you want to make sure that you are driving at a suitable speed.

The ideal speed is about 50mph, driving at 70mph can be as much as 20% less efficient.

Check your tyre pressure

The lower your tyre pressure, the more fuel you need to make your car move.

Taking five minutes to check your tyre pressure each fortnight could save your lots of money over the course of a year. You can usually find your recommended tyre pressure near the lock inside the driver-side door.

Check petrol prices

Driving several extra miles to get slightly cheaper petrol is obviously not cost-effective, but it pays to know where the cheapest pumps are near your house or place of work.

Go to PetrolPrices.com, enter your postcode and it will tell you the cheapest petrol stations within a five or ten-mile radius. Prices within five miles of Duffy Motors at the time of writing ranged from 110.9p to 122.9p per litre.

Split the cost of your commute

Some ride-sharers can save £1,000 or more per year on fuel, upkeep and parking costs. Find someone at work who lives close by or register your details on Liftshare.com to see if you can find matching commuters.

Just moved to a new area? Feel like you’re getting short shrift from your current mechanic? Finding a new one can be tricky.

We all want someone honest and reliable, who gets the job done with no fuss. We also worry about getting stuck with a cowboy or, even worse, paying an arm and a leg with a national chain of garages.

Here are our top tips for finding a good new mechanic.

Ask for a recommendation

Word-of-mouth recommendations can still be worth their weight in gold when searching for an honest mechanic. Ask your friends who they use, then figure out whose judgment you trust and give them a call.

Remember, some mechanics won’t treat all their customers equally. Your friends might be getting ‘mates rates’ or the mechanic might treat them favourably because they have been loyal customers for a long time. It is probably worth doing your own research to support any recommendations.

Research online

Make sure you do your homework. Your next mechanic could be your mechanic for the next ten years. Put the time in now to make sure they are right for you.

There are all sorts of car websites and local forums where people discuss garages and mechanics that they have used. You can also check a garage’s Facebook and Twitter profiles to see what customers say about them on there.

Five-star garages

You can get a snapshot of how trustworthy a garage is by looking at online reviews of the company. There are lots of different places where customers leave reviews, including on the Good Garage Scheme, on Google and on Facebook.

It is always worth drilling down into the reviews to see if they are genuine. It is also worth reading some of the comments to find out some of the context behind the review.

Convenient for you

Even if a mechanic is highly recommended and has dozens of five-star reviews, they won’t be much use if you have to drive miles out of your way sit and wait while they work on your motor.

At Duffy Motors, many of our customers like to bring their cars into our city centre garage on a weekday morning before completing the last mile of their journey to work by taxi, public transport or bike. They leave their cars with us all day while they are fixed and then collect them on the way home from work.

Have a chat

Sometimes the best way to get a measure of a new mechanic is to phone up or head down and have a chat with them. Most reputable mechanics will be happy to talk about the condition of your car and what work needs doing.

You can also speak to the mechanic about what work you are happy for them to carry out without your permission and what work you want a say on first.

And if you head down to the garage, it also gives you an opportunity to check out if the garage is tidy and clean. It’s a bit of a myth that garages are untidy and a clean and well-organised site is often the sign of a well-run garage.

When is the cheapest MOT not really the cheapest MOT? When a shameless garage owner charges you hundreds of pounds of unnecessary repairs.

Your last expensive MOT failure only feels like it was a few months ago, but the time has come again and you are hoping for a clean bill of health. You drive to the garage hoping and praying for a pass. But even though your pretty sure there’s nothing wrong with the car, your pretty sure that the garage will fail you.

We’ve all been there. And to save some money, it can be tempting to take your car to a budget MOT shop. They advertise widely and offer a full-service MOT at a price that is unbelievably cheap. Sometimes the prices are less than half the price of other garages in the area.

But this kind of testing is often a false economy.

A cheaper price encourages more cars through the door, but if there are any faults with the car you are almost guaranteed to get the repairs done with that garage. The maximum charge for an MOT is £54.85, so the repairs are nearly always more expensive than the test.

Some unscrupulous garages may be motivated to find faults where there are none. They may interpret borderline decisions as fails, or blow minor errors out of proportion and perform costly part replacements when a simple repair would more than suffice.

Even on cars that are less than five years old, some ‘cheap’ garages will go to great lengths, interpreting guidelines in the strictest possible way to charge you a bit extra.

It isn’t just local cowboy garages either that offer dubious rock-bottom prices either. Some national garage chains offer these kinds of bargain basement prices too.

At Duffy Motors, we like to operate differently. Our business is built on trust and return customers. We always try to treat customers fairly and our reviews on the Good Garage Scheme are testament to our ideology.

More ways to make your MOT cheaper

Besides choosing the right garage, there are some basic things that you can do to make your MOT cheaper.

Check your lights

One in five MOT failures are due to a broken light. Make sure you check your brake lights, head lights and indicators before going for a test. If any are broken, then changing them yourself before the MOT should save you some money on labour.

Check your tyres

Checking your tyre pressure is another way of averting an easily preventable MOT failure. A garage shouldn’t charge you too much for inflating your tyres, but you never know.

Check reviews

Saving £20 on the cost of your MOT might sound like a good deal, but it is small fry if the garage charges you hundreds of pounds for unnecessary repair work. One way to avoid getting stuck with a cowboy garage is to check online reviews and see what the garage’s customers have to say.

Chat to an expert

When it comes to MOTs and car repairs, the picture isn’t always black and white. Your car may pass its MOT just marginally, but some parts may be on the cusp of failing and could necessitate more serious repairs in the future if they aren’t sorted out now.

At Duffy Motors, we always take the time to talk to our customers, give them an honest appraisal of their options and make recommendations based on all the relevant information.

If you aren’t sure, just give us a call and we may be able to offer some advice over the phone.

Eagle-eyed website visitors might have noticed that a new section has appeared on the website. On Duffy Cars website visitors can browse nice and reliable motors on sale from Duffy Motors.

Lee Atkinson and the rest of the Duffy Motors team, have decades of experience fixing, maintaining and buying in Manchester.

In that time they have developed dozens of industry contacts and learned to spot good deals on cars that are in good condition.

And it is these cars that Duffy Motors will sell through the website.

There will be no clapped-up old bangers, no tired engines that fail their MOT after a few months of wear and nothing that is going to depreciate through the market floor.

In short, if you buy a car through Duffy Motors, you’ll get a good running car, with a good spec and a reliable service history. Oh, and you’ll get a great price too.

You’ll also benefit from our top-rated garage service, and you can drop in at our city centre garage to view the cars whenever you like.

Shopping for a car can be stressful. You can look online and compare all of the specifications under the sun, but putting money down for a new motor is still unnerving – especially if you aren’t really a car person.

At Duffy Motors, we have built our reputation on good customer service. Our garage has the top-rated service record in Greater Manchester on the Good Garage Scheme, and you can read feedback from more than 500 happy customers on our website.

We have always been happy to help our loyal customers pick out a new car.

If you don’t know that much about cars, you can trust us to spot things you might miss. And after so long dealing with car dealers and agents in and around the city, we know how to spot the red flags that can spell motoring disaster.

After decades in the industry, Lee regularly gets phone calls from friends and clients asking for his latest car recommendation and sometimes he even gets asked to take a look at the organs of a car before any money changes hands. Just to make sure.

With Duffy Cars, the team is trying to take the hassle and stress out of shopping around. You know it is a motor that you can rely on.

Manchester city centre car sales

With the launch of Duffy Cars, we also want to make it easier than ever to buy a car. If you work in the city, there’s no need to take the day off work, or waste your Saturday car shopping – just pop into our garage on your lunch break or on your way back from the office. We’re conveniently located just behind the Hilton Tower.

We aren’t salesmen. We won’t turn the screw to try and make you buy. We’ll just show you the most important stats and let the quality of the car sell it for us.

In time, we hope to get lots of cars up on the website for sale on the website. For now, there’s only one car up there for sale, but we think its a pretty useful example of what we hope to sell in the future.

The car is a high-spec Audi Q3 Quattro, which we believe is one of the best examples of a Q3 that you will find. Check out the premium vehicle’s full range of specs on the new Duffy Cars section, and let us know if you would like to come and take a look at it.

Electric vehicles are becoming more popular. They are particularly popular with city-dwellers and we are seeing more and more of them coming into our city centre garage.

They are cheap to run and good for the environment and as the technology improves the driving experience is getting better.

One of the more positive aspects of the driving experience is that electric and hybrid vehicles make a lot less noise than their fuel-guzzling counterparts.

But while a quiet drive is nice for drivers, it is potentially dangerous for pedestrians. Particularly those that struggle with their sight.

The old Look, Listen, Live mantra is becoming more and more ineffective. Just ask one Birmingham man who was hit twice in the same place by the same electric car because he “never heard it coming.”

The EU is making it compulsory for all electric vehicles to have sound generating systems in 2021, but the charity Guide Dogs wants the government to impose an order on all manufacturers to do this before then.

The US has one-upped this policy mandating that electric cars make some kind of artificial noise when travelling at low speed by 2019.

The legislation says that when vehicles are travelling at higher speeds (over 19km/h) the tyres and wind passing over the car make enough noise to alert other road users. But at low speed the battery-powered cars are too quiet.

Interestingly though, the legislation doesn’t specify what kind of noise the electric vehicles should make. This will be up to the manufacturer, but we have some suggestions.

What noise should an electric car make

Artificial noises in cars is nothing new. Reversing commercial vehicles have beepers to tell pedestrians that the driver may be unsighted. It’s also a legal requirement for every car to have a horn to alert pedestrians (and other drivers when they are driving stupidly).

Blind people cross the road by relying on traffic noise, but it’s not as easy as picking a sound and playing it out of a speaker.

You might be tempted to fit your electric car with your favourite song that plays to alert passers-by. But a blind person would struggle to judge the orientation, speed and direction of travel of your vehicle if it was just continuously playing a song. It will also probably get on your nerves after a while.

The Guide Dogs charity has some recommendations for vehicle manufacturers to help them make their cars safer for blind people. The recommendations are:

• That the vehicle is audible regardless of location and speed
• That any noise-generating system takes account of when a vehicle is operating in quieter conditions
• That the noise-generating system indicates the direction of the car and what it is doing, particularly if it is stationary in traffic
• That the noise generated sounds like a vehicle and replicates the sound made by a similar vehicle with an internal combustion engine performing the same manoeuvres
• That systems do not have a “pause switch” so that drivers cannot turn off the system at will

There is still a lot of room for vehicle manufacturers to pick their own signature sounds within this framework though. In most cases the sounds reflect the personality of the vehicles.

Porsche hybrids, for example, are fitted with loudspeakers to deliver the company’s signature engine growl.

Nissan, on the other hand, have elected to give their vehicles a very different sound to give their electric vehicles a very different sound. They sought to challenge what a car should sound like and we think they have done a pretty good job.

But that sound might get annoying after a while.

Speaking of annoying sounds, here’s what some Formula E cars sound like.

Motorsport drives a lot of innovation in the world of cars and Formula E has led the way for electric vehicle development. The noises the cars make are certainly distinctive, but they’re more suited to the race track than the streets of Manchester.

For a bit of a throwback someone in the garage suggested that this would be a good electric car sound.

Hmm.

For what it’s worth I think that Tesla leads the way in electric cars sound, listen to this.

The cold snap earlier this week brought a touch of the Arctic to Manchester. Although most of us managed to dodge the snow, you know its only a matter of time before the cold weather wreaks havoc on the roads and your car.

To combat the cold, Duffy Motors offer a fast and convenient winter car check from its city centre garage.

There’s nowhere more convenient if you live or work in Manchester city centre.

Duffy Motors’ quick and convenient winter check-up

Book your winter check-up in now. We only charge for half an hours labour and you can drop-off and pick-up your car as you please.

We check:

• The battery (batteries are the most common cause of winter breakdown)
• Bulbs
• Wipers
• Oil levels
• Tyres
• Screenwash

While we have your vehicle on the ramp we will also perform a quick visual brake test just to check for major faults.

And we’ll top your washer fluid up with antifreeze if you are running low.

Duffy Motor’s city centre garage couldn’t be more convenient for anyone commuting into Manchester for work.

Located next to the Beetham tower, there’s lots of public transport links nearby so you can drop your car off in the morning, head to work and pick it up whenever you are ready.

Preparing your car for winter

In the winter the cold weather can interfere with the chemical reaction that goes on in your battery. This means they are more likely to fail, especially batteries that are more than about five years old.

If your battery is sounds or feels like it is struggling to get started, especially on those cold winter mornings then you should get it checked (and possibly replaced) by an expert. This winter might be enough to finish it off.

You are much more likely to be involved in an accident in winter. To help reduce the risk it’s important that you get your brakes, tyres, wipers and bulbs checked. This will help reduce the risk of skidding, help you see other road users better and allow other road users to see you better (only if you keep your lights on though).

More winter car tips

• Check your tyre pressure regularly and ensure you have a tread depth of at least 3mm
• Make sure there is antifreeze in your radiator and windscreen washer bottle
• Keep an ice-scraper and de-icer in your vehicle and never try to drive with a frosted up windscreen
• In case you do get stranded at the side of the motorway it is good to keep some essentials in your boot. Pack a few jumpers, a blanket, food and drink, a high-vis and a warning triangle
• A thin coat of polish or Vaseline can stop rubber door seals freezing shut and a squirt of WD-40 should be enough to stop your locks freezing
• Keep your windscreen clean inside and out and consider replacing your wiper blades